Yin|Yang

11. Heart vs Ego

"Don't."

Yang Guang frowned, looking at the small hand holding his wrist weakly. He gently shook his hand and saved himself from the burning grip, "don't? What do you mean?"

"Don't heal me," Yin An almost begged with his hoarse voice, his glazed eyes boring holes into the white-haired man's soul.

Another frown, but this time it was deeper. Yang Guang was getting more and more anxious about the small man's condition, yet he didn't want to rile him up by forcing his powers on him. Therefore, he controlled his temper and softly asked "why not? You know I can make you feel better in a blink."

Yin An blinked with confusion, "it was our deal, remember?..." he coughed, then finished "...not using your powers for me?"

Yang Guang was agape. How come he remembered those silly words in that condition? He must have indeed been so pure, not using the opportunity. Heaving a sigh, he put his hand on the sick man's forehead, "it is of my own volition, so just enjoy," he said authoritatively and released his healing power. A soothing white light appeared briefly before being transferred into Yin An.

The sick man sucked a deep breath and his eyes got closed while the unusual power spread fast inside him. He gasped in pain as his demonic power clashed with the angelic power, but soon, Yang Guang's power outweighed his and healing started.

After a minute, Yang Guang saw that Yin An's complexion was back to normal and his bottomless black eyes gained vitality. Almost reluctantly, he removed his hand and asked "are you okay now?"

Yin An nodded with a tiny smile and took a sitting position, "thank you and sorry."

Yang Guang crossed his well-defined arms and squinted his eyes, "sorry?"

The small man nodded again with a gloomy aura, "I know you hate to use your powers on people, yet I..."

"Don't think too much," the tall man cut him off and rose to his feet, "change your clothes, I will be in the kitchen," he said and walked away. Indeed, he could say he didn't hate to help him or he wasn't just anyone in his eyes, but no. He was still in denial though his heart was clear as water.

With a huge confusion cloud above his head, Yang Guang walked to the kitchen area and noticed the pieces of the broken bowls on the floor when his boot crunched down some. Sighing in irritation, he checked around and saw a small broom-dustpan set on the corner. He grabbed them and set on the work.

"I can do it," suddenly a voice declared behind him and small hands tried to snatch the broom from his large hands.

With a sudden urge, Yang Guang circled his arm around the small figure and placed him onto the wooden table, "don't move, with your luck, you will hurt yourself."

It took a few seconds for Yin An to comprehend what had happened. Like a fish, he gaped at the cleaning man and with a small voice he asked "do you care about me this much?"

Yang Guang halted his action for a second in the face of the sudden question, but then he composed himself and finished cleaning. Pretending not to hear the small man, he disposed of the pieces in the dustpan into the garbage bin and put the cleaning equipment back to their place.

While he was dealing with it, Yin An got down off the table and approached the tall man from behind with soundless steps. When the latter turned around, he caged him between the kitchen counter and himself.

"Do you care about me now?"

The hope in his voice and the intensity of his gaze shook Yang Guang's whole existence. It would hurt his cold ego to admit his overwhelming worry for the small man, but if he denied it, those pitch-black eyes would drown in sadness and it would kill his heart.

"Yes." The word spilled his mouth as his heart weighed over his stupid ego.

In a second, Yin An's short arms were wrapped around his waist, hugging him with all his might. His face was pressed on his chest, but Yang Guang still heard him mumbling a heart-felt thanks.

He hesitated for a millisecond, then he also wrapped his arms around the small figure and let his warmth spread around him. He unwittingly sniffed the vanilla scent from his long hair and realised it was so calming, giving him a feeling of home.

From outside, it seemed like a simple hug... but for those two lonely men, it was long-wanted and life-changing...